Greenhouse protector



Aug. 28,1928.

-R. DE ZONIA GREEflI-IOUSE PROTECTOR a L n E Z E 3 I R u d a K Aug. 28, 1928. 1,682,005

I R. E. DE ZONIA GREENHOUSE PROTECTOR Filed Jan. 27, 1928 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 RED EZcn-L-La ray, a

[ri l 3 7 an-uc utoz/ Aug. 28, 1928.

' 1,682,005" R. E. DE ZONIA GREENHOUSE PROTECTOR s Sheecs-She'et- 3 QR Q /////////////////4/// W Filed Jan. 27, 1928 El I ruc-ufoz RE. D E ZCIT'L'LEL Patented Aug. 28, 1928.

v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT E. DE ZONIA, 01 DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO JASPER N. RIPLEY, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

GREENHOUSE PROTECTOR.

Application filed January 27, 1928.

- in order that the entrance of sun rays to the growing plants will not be retarded.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a protector including wire mesh screen sheets which are maintained normally in rolled condition, but can be quickly unrolled to fully cover the roof of the green house, thus preventing hail stones from striking the glass panels. I

. In certain localities hail'storms frequently occur, and come with little warning, and it is therefore necessary that the green-house roof be covered quickly to protect the same. It is thus another object of the invention to provide a device of this character which can be placed quickly in its ope *ative position by mechanism located at each end of the greenhouse.

lVhile the drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention it is to be understood that in adapting the means to meet specific needs and requirements the design may be varied and such other changes in the minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the invention as claimed without departing from the spirit thereof.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof, reference is to be had to the following description and the drawings hereto attached, in which,- t

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a section of a green-house showing the protector in its operative position.

Figure 2 is an end view of the same.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan view showing the protecting sheet partly unrolled and the canopy removed.

Figure 4c is a detail sectional view.

Figure 5 is a sectional view through one of the track ways.

Figure 6 is a detail view of a section of the screen. 7

Corresponding and like parts are referred Serial No. 250,010.

to in the following description and lesig nated in the several views of the drawim; l like reference characters.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates a green-house having the roof ridge 2, there being transversely arranged track ways 3 arranged in pairs and disposed in inclined relation. These tracks have their upper ends fixed to the ridge 2, as at 4, and their lower ends supported by the brackets 5'which are secured to the sides of the green-house. said brackets being of such height as to maintain the tracks elevated in order that the customary roof ventilators can be adjusted with out interference.

Having their lower ends embedded in the ground at the ends of the green-house are standards 6 which have fixed to their upper ends V-shaped brackets 7, and in the branch 8 of each are ournaled the ends of the rollers 9, and to which are fixed sprocket wheels 10 the purpose of which will be later explained. lVindable upon each roller is a wire screen sheet 11, the mesh of which being of such gage as to prevent the passage of comparatively small hail stones therethrough. These sheets are of such size that when unrolled they will fully cover the roof of the green-house. Suitably fixed transversely of the sheets are resilient sheet metal straps 12, two of which are used for each screen said straps having connected thereto longitudinally extending sheet metal brace straps 14. Since the straps 12 are resilient they are obviously capable of being wound upon the rollers 9 with the screen sheets 11.

Near the upper ends of the standards 6 are journaled stub shafts 15 and to the ends of which are fixed sprocket wheels designated by the numerals 16 and 17, the latter being alined with the sprockets 1010, and trained around these sprockets are endless chains 18. Cranks 19 are carried by the standards 6 near their lower ends and have fixed thereto sprocket Wheels 20 and trained around these wheels and the wheels 16 are sprocket chains 21 the purpose of which will appear later.

The track ways 3 are formed with channels 22 and in which the wheels 23 of the carriages 2a are engaged, said carriages being fixed to the straps let at points under the ends of the straps 12. Each strap 12 has connected to its outer end a ring 25 which is adapted to detachably engage the hooks 26 carried by the brackets 5 when the sheets 11 are in their unwound or operative position.

A sheet metal canopy 27 is supported by the uprights 6 and serves to protect the screen sheets 11 and associated parts from inclement weather when not in use.

It will be obvious that upon imparting movement. to the chains 21 that the sprocket wheels 10 and 17 will be rotated in order that the screen sheets may be wound or unwound upon the rollers. When the rollers 9 are rotated clockwise the screen sheets 11 will be unwound, and owing to the presence of the straps 12 the sheets will be sustained against bending as the carriages 24 travel downwardly in the track ways 3, after which the rings 25 are engaged with the hooks 26 to maintain the screen sheets taut to prevent sagging when hail stones collect thereon. To rewind the sheets 11 the rings are disengaged from the hooks and the rollers rotated anticlockwise 7 As shown in the drawings, the protector isused in connection with a single greenhouse unit, but it will be of course understood that where a row of green-houses are employed the bracket 5 may be fixed in the gutters between the units.

Further, it will be observed that by placing the operating mechanism upon each end of the greenhouse access may be had quickly 1 thereto in order that the screen sheets can be placed in their protective positions. The sprocket 20 may be provided with a plurality of perforations 28 in order that; a pin may be placed in any one of them to interlock the sprocket wheels with the standards 6 in order to maintain the operative mechanism against accidental movement.

It will be of course understood that the ball bearings may be equipped with ball or roller hearings to enable the device to be operated with comparative ease.

Having thus described the invent-ion, I claim:

1. The combination with a green-house having track ways supported transversely of its roof, of screen sheets windable upon rollers supported above the roof, said sheets havingcarriages attached thereto for movement upon the track ways.

2. The combination with a green-house having track ways supported transversely of its roof, of rollers supported above the roof, screen sheets having resilient straps fixed transversely thereof, said sheets and straps being windable upon the rollers, and wheeled carriages carried by the free ends of said sheets for travel on the track ways.

3. The combination with a green-house having track ways supported transversely of its roof andhaving channels therein. of rollers supported above the roof, screen sheets having resilient straps fixed thereto and windable with the sheets upon the rollers,

wheeled carriages carried by the free edges of the sheets and movable in the channels of the track ways, and means for rotating the rollers.

l. The combination with a green-house, of track ways supported transversely thereof, said track ways having channels therein, standards supported adjacent the greenhouse and having brackets carried thereby,

rollers journaled in the brackets and having sprocket wheels upon their ends, screen sheets windable upon the rollers and having carriages upon their free edges for engagement in the channels of the track ways, and means for driving the sprocket wheels to wind or unwind the sheets upon the rollers, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The coi'nbination with a green-house, of tracks supported transversely above the roof thereof, brackets supported adjacent the ends of the green-house, and having rollers journaled therein, said rollers being provided with sprocket wheels, sprocket wheels rotatably' mounted adjacent the first namet sprocket wheels, and sprocket chains trained around all of said wheels, screen sheets windable upon the rollers and having carriages carried thereby for engagement with the track ways, and means for imparting movemerit to the last named sprocket wheels to impart rotary movement to the sprocket wheels first mentioned to wind or unwind the fabric sheets upon the rollers.

6. The combination with a green-house, of track ways supported transversely of the roof thereof, standards arranged adjacent the ends of the green-house and having brackets upon their upper ends, rollers journaled in the brackets and having sprocket wheels upon their ends, wire screen sheets windable upon the rollers and having carriages for engagement with the tracks, said sheets having resilient straps carried thereby for positively moving the carriages upon the track ways when the wire sheets are unwound from the rollers, and means for imparting movement to the rollers through the medium of the sprocket wheels to wind or unwind the screen sheets thereon.

7. .The combination with a green-house having track ways supported transversely of its roof, of flexible sheets windable upon rollers supported above the roof, said sheets having carriages attached thereto for movement upon the track ways. v

8. The combination with a green-house having track ways supported transversely of its roof. of rollers supported above the roof,

flexible sheets havin resilient straos fixed transversely thereof, said sheets and straps being windable upon the rollers, the free edges of the sheets being slidably connected with the track ways.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ROBERT E. DE ZONIA. [L 3. 

